Improvement in indicators



UNITED STATES CHARLES A. STEBBINS, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN INDICATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.

152,879, dated July 7, 1874; application filed June 4,1874.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES A. STEnBrNs, of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Indicators, and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of a combined letter-box and indicator for office use, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to de-" scribe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of my invention. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same. Fig. .3 is a transverse vertical section through the line a: m, Fig. 1. Figs. 4 and 5 are views of two revolving tablets used in my box.

A represents a box made of cast-iron or other suitable metal, provided with a glass door, 13, at the front, which door is hinged at one edge, and when closed is locked by a suitable lock, as shown at a. In the top of the box A is made an aperture, 7), for the admission of letters, &c., left by the letter-carrier, as well as for messages left by anybody callin during the absence of the occupant of the oflice, said aperture being covered by a suitable hinged lid, O. In the front part of the box A, immediately inside of the glass door 13, are two tablets, D and G, which, together with a central division-bar, E, fill up the whole space of the box at the front. These tablets are both in the center of the top and bottom edges provided with a pin or pivot, (l, which is inserted in suitable bearings in the box, so that the tablets can be easily turned to bring either side outward, and also for the purpose of removing any letters or messages left in the box, the door 13 being first unlocked and opened. Upon each end of the box A is formed or attached a card-ease, H, one designed to hold businesscards, and the other blanks for messages. The tablet D is on one side provided with a disk, I, bearing the inscription Office. Please walk in, or other words of similar import, and upon the other side is an ordinary clock-dial, J, provided with two hands, f f, which may be turi'ied and set by means of the central knob h. Upon the dial J are the words lVill return as indicated. The other tablet G has upon one side the words Office hours, and below the same are suitable guides 70 k, for the insertion of strips 71 11, upon which the hours may be printed, written, or otherwise aflixed. On the opposite side of tablet G is a slate, K, or other suitable material, upon which the occupant of the office may write such notices as he may desire that callers should see while he is absent. This slate is not intended for the use of callers, it being covered by the glass door B, but only for the occupant of the office, as described.

The combined letter-box and indicator thus constructed can only be opened and the tablets changed by the person having the key thereto, and when used as designed it will give all the required information to persons calling during the owners absence, and also forms a receptacle for any messages desired to be left by callers, obviating the necessity of intrusting the same to an offiee-boy.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In an office-iiulicator, the revolving tablets G D, combined therewith, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. An office-indicator consisting of the revolving tablets G D, disk I, dial J, glass door 13, aperture 7), with lid 0, and guides k, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES A. STEBBINS. lVitnesses OI-IARLEs llIA'ITESON, HERBERT ALMY. 

